1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to water heaters, and, more particularly, to an improved "in-line" electrical resistance water heater.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical resistance "in-line" water heaters are well known in the art. An example of such a water heater is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,003 to Blanco ("003"). The disclosure of the '003 patent is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by this reference thereto. The Blanco patent discloses a unitary electrical resistance "in-line" tankless water heater, having a body, which is separated into three stacked compartments sections of circular configuration, and formed of molded, non-conducting plastic material. The lower compartment includes a terminal block for connection to a power supply conduit. An upper compartment encloses a circular heating coil element, and includes a top cover member, having a cold water inlet port and a hot water outlet port. An intermediate compartment encloses a microswitch, which is electrically connected to the power leads via the terminal block in the lower compartment, and to the terminals of the heating coil in the upper compartment. Furthermore, a water flow sensing mechanism is provided within the upper compartment, which, upon sensing water flow between the cold water inlet port and the hot water outlet port, actuates the microswitch within the intermediate compartment to energize the heating coil so as to produce hot water based upon the flow demand therefor.
The in-line tankless hot water heater disclosed and claimed in the '003 patent provides an improvement in the art, which is still useful today. However, the present invention provides an improved in-line tankless water heater of different configuration, and improved efficiency, for use in place of or complementary to the hot water heater disclosed in the '003 patent.